The Tale of the White Wolf Shiranui
by Wolfwum
Summary: --This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed Shiranui... People assumed the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi...-- WARNING: SPOILERS
1. Awakening

_Hi, and thanks for reading my story. I apologize for the introduction being so long, but please bear with me. Before I forget, _**I DO NOT OWN OKAMI, NOR DO I OWN THE DIALOGUE USED**_. Any questions, talk to me about them. If the first part seems slow, again, I'm sorry. As the game progresses, so shall the characterization. Thank you for reading!_

_**Part One: Acceptance**_

Awakening

_...When the night of the sacrifice drew near a __**mysterious white wolf**__ appeared outside the village. This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed __**Shiranui**__. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and made a habit of patrolling the streets at night. People assumed the wolf to be a __**familiar of Orochi**__. _

_One villager took it upon himself to face the fearsome Shiranui. The warrior __**Nagi**__ attempted many times to challenge the wolf. But his attempts were thwarted by Shiranui's swift movements. Before long, the night of the accursed festival had arrived. A white plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the sky, the arrow sunk its shaft squarely into the home of Nami, the village's most beautiful maiden. Nagi, harboring a secret love for Nami, was enraged by this sign. Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast's cave in place of his beloved. _

_The Moon Cave, a place as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi's home. As Nagi stood bravely before the entrance... A beast appeared, eyes glowing crimson upon 8 thrashing necks. __**Orochi**__ stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice. Nagi leapt with incredible grace, swinging his blade valiantly. On and on he sliced, well into the moonless night... but Orochi's hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch. At long last, Nagi, his energy spent from the intense battle, dropped to his knees, fatigued and gasping for breath. He knew he was staring death in the face. __**It was then that the wolf appeared**__. _

_As if to protect Nagi, __**it stood its ground before Orochi**__. In the darkness of the cave, the wolf's coat shone brilliantly. Alas, it was Shiranui, the wolf that dwelled outside the village. Baring its fearsome claws, __**Shiranui leapt toward Orochi**__. Orochi reared its terrifying heads, readying its fangs for battle. The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness. Mysterious and terrifying, the spectacle continued. Shiranui summoned __**gusts of divine wind**__ to counter Orochi's flames. As Orochi closed in on Shiranui, sharpened claws glistening... A __**gigantic tree**__ suddenly sprouted forth, shielding the wolf. Shiranui fought gallantly to gain the upper hand. _

_However... Orochi, protected by a mystical power, was not easily bested. Shiranui, covered in gashes, __**majestic coat dyed crimson**__, stood exhausted before the mighty Orochi. Orochi saw a chance to strike what would be the final blow. But Shiranui refused to give in. With its last ounce of strength, the majestic wolf gazed __**heavenward**__ and unleashed a mighty howl. Suddenly, the black clouds overhead dissipated. The light from above glinted off Nagi's sword as a beacon of hope. Guided by his sword, Nagi, who had been taking shelter in the shadows, stood proudly to face his adversary. Channeling all his strength into his scarred and battered arms, he leapt ferociously toward Orochi, his sword poised high. _

_The golden sword danced in his hands like a puppet on a string. One by one, Orochi's __**fearsome**__ heads separated from their owner. Orochi's broken body collapsed in a lake of its own blood. In that instant, the curse that plagued the villagers was lifted. As the battle subsided, the __**sun**__ shone once again in the sky. __**Shiranui had succumbed**__ to Orochi's poison and struggled to breathe. Nagi scooped the __**beast**__ into his arms and returned to Kamiki. When they reached the village, Shiranui was no longer moving. The village elder gently stroked the wolf's head. In response, Shiranui let out a hoarse and pitiful bark... Then closed its eyes and drifted off __**as if into slumber**__. _

_Peace had at last returned to Kamiki Village. In honor of Shiranui's __**heroic exploits**__, the villagers erected a shrine and placed a statue of the wolf within it. Nagi's sword was christened "Tsukuyomi" and placed inside the Moon Cave. The villagers all looked forward to an age of endless peace... _

_However, this is not the end of the story... There is __**more to this tale than most people know**__. 100 years had passed since Nagi and Shiranui's heroic exploits. It happened so quickly that no one in the village even took notice..._

And just like that, he awoke again. Lately, he'd been surfacing in and out of his slumber, but either way, darkness surrounded him. Silence entombed him. By her sacrifice, he'd been placed in this purgatory, yet with no way to atone for his sins and no way to suffer for them. Shiranui sighed, and settled again for another dip into oblivion.

_Had I known, would I still have resisted?_ He thought.

He thought he heard a voice just outside of his resting place. Impossible, but his hopes raised a bit; he wished it could be her, the lovely Amaterasu. The stern goddess had come to him some time ago. He had been afraid for he was but a lowly wolf, a corrupted animal. His master often told him that he'd given Shiranui the ability to think just so he could regret. Amaterasu had taught him about valor and duty and trust, just so she could demolish all she'd edified.

_Just so I could suffer for her._

A fire suddenly bloomed on his back. Shiranui panicked as the rock tomb around him crumbled away. Confused and achy, he stretched his body and leapt down from the shrine. Shiranui looked around. A sprite hovered above him.

"Ah! Such divine white light! Such beauty and grace!" she said. Shiranui narrowed his eyes. He thought he recognized her. "The only one capable of such a wondrous spectacle is none other than our mother and the origin of all that is, Amaterasu!"

Shiranui looked around and behind himself. He saw no one who looked even remotely like the goddess.

_She can't mean me, can she?_ He whined and lay down; though in slumber for many years, he'd gotten no sleep. The sprite waited for him to say or do something. He looked at her with one eye and said, _Leave me; I crossed my master as a servant never should. Stay if you enjoy traitors in your midst._ Sprites could usually pick up on his thoughts and feelings. This one, however, was determined to pester Shiranui.

"Amaterasu... Gaze above you and take in the condition of the sky," she said. For the first time, he noticed the dark presence surrounding the area. He knew the cataclysmic style well. Shuddering at the thought of his former master, he returned his attention to the wood sprite.

"Since your untimely departure from our midst, the world has succumbed to devious and vicious beasts. They have ravaged our fine and bountiful country of Nippon... But never have the circumstances been worse than they are at this very moment."

_My departure wasn't exactly voluntary_, he thought. _And the woman who so graciously helped is not here! Quit calling out to-_

"Please use your powers to banish the darkness and punish those who would do us harm. ...Hm?" Her bodice jiggled. Shiranui cocked his head. "Has something stolen its way into my robe? A ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The beautiful laugh could not distract from the green projectile. It landed in front of Shiranui, who sniffed it. The green aura around it changed to red as the little person hopped up and yelled upward to the girl. Shiranui peered closely at him.

_A Poncle…?_

"Ow ow ow ow ow! Are you nuts? Boy, for a little thing, you sure make a big fuss! I was just tryin' to make the conversation a bit more interesting, that's all."

"Were you napping in my clothes again, bug?"

"Bug? I told you a thousand times not to call me that! I'm a wandering artist. The name's Issun!"

Shiranui settled back, slightly disappointed. He'd hoped that it'd be that other man, Isharru, Kishuku, or whatever his name had been. Now that he thought about it, he didn't remember a lot of the names from way back when. Shiranui was looking back to the sprite again when a scroll bearing her image smacked him across the snout. It was a good painting, but his level of agitation couldn't get any higher.

"Well, whaddya think? Even cuter than the real thing, no?" Issun asked, jumping onto his nose. "What's with you, furball? You look kinda down in the dumps. Actually... You look kinda familiar... Got it! You look just like that statue of Shiranui!"

Shiranui growled. _I _am_ Shiranui!_ He flipped his muzzle, catching the inch-high sprite in his mouth. He meant to swallow, but a sharp prick to his tongue made him spit Issun back up. The Poncle was not impressed. As Issun yelled at Shiranui, a roar from the north drowned him out. Shiranui cringed involuntarily at the sound.

"Wh-Wh-What's that growling sound? And why's it so dark, anyway?" Issun stammered.

_I can see you're going to be a lot of help. _He snorted in the artist's direction. The swirling air above them seemed to churn faster. He looked up and sighed, but then noticed the wood sprite was fading.

"O, great god Amaterasu... I've used all the power I have to protect Kamiki Village." He didn't bother correcting her this time. She sounded extremely weak, and sprites tended to get irritated when tired. "The village lives on. Their spirits lie encased in my fruit. Cut it free, and the village will be reborn! I trust in you. I know that you will lead us down the right path. Only your awesome power can restore life to the world."

Shiranui cocked his head a bit. _I'll pretend you didn't say it that way, sprite. I'll pretend you didn't say it at all. _The giant cherry tree reappeared in its place. He looked up and down the leafless limbs, as did Issun.

"That Sakuya girl sure said some weird stuff. ...That's the fruit. That girl said that if you cut it down, the village will be restored." He shook his head. "But it's awfully high up there. This darkness is really gettin' to me, too. A lot can happen while you're taking a nap."

A light shined forth from the base of the tree. Shiranui's eyes weren't used to such splendor; even witnessing Amaterasu had been painful. Calm came from the entrance. It unnerved him, for he'd only witnessed such peace with the goddess long ago.

_Why is it, _he wondered as he ran in the opposite direction, _that I cannot escape her since I have reawakened?_

He hit a wall. The jolt bolted down his stiff bones to his tail. Issun nearly fell off of his back.

"What in the world?" he said "There's something blocking the road leading back to the village! Am I still dreaming?"

Shiranui tried again, but was forced back, resulting in clever commentary from his... companion: " Ouch! Is there a wall here or something?" Sighing, Shiranui turned and walked through the glowing portal.

Inside, all sounds of menace were cut off. Flowers and grass littered the entrance, a breeze scratched the air. Shiranui had never felt more at ease, yet more terrified. He started when Issun spoke.

"Where are we? I don't remember any place like this in the village. Well, we better keep our eyes peeled."

Shiranui just kept his eyes open for a blade to cut down the fruit, but Issun had other things on his mind. At almost every corner was another chest or pot to examine— to make sure he missed not one yen of treasure. The wolf wished that the Poncle would have taken up with someone else when they came across a broken bridge. From the looks of it, it had been abandoned for decades.

"Looks like the bridge is out," Issun said. Shiranui glanced back him and rolled his eyes.

_Your wisdom no doubt impresses the masses, bug, _he thought. If Issun understood, he didn't say.

"This shouldn't be so hard, um... Amaterasu, was it? That's kinda long. Mind if I call ya 'Ammy'?" _Go ahead. I doubt anyone knows me anymore. _"Listen, Ammy... Ever heard of the spirits of the brush? Good brushwork has its own soul, 'least that's what they say. Just watch. It'd take all day to explain... A picture's worth a thousand words, right?"

Familiarity crept into Shiranui's mind once again as a slight pause in the world around him happened. Suddenly, before his eyes, the bridge repaired itself. He started to pant and whine softly; she'd used that many times on her journey.

"Nice, huh? Just a little technique I've mastered called—" _Rejuvenation! _"—Rejuvenation. It's a brush god power that can restore broken or missing things. I've practiced really hard just to master this one technique. But there are 13!" Issun sighed. He sounded impressed and overwhelmed to Shiranui. "Originally, all 13 were a single powerful deity. God or no god, how could anyone have the power to master all 13!?"

Shiranui smiled. _I've seen that power, _he thought as he ran across the bridge to the next monument. _She wears robes as brilliant white as you are dull._


	2. Her Legacy

_**Part One: Acceptance**_

Her Legacy

Up ahead, Shiranui and Issun came upon a stone sign which read "River of the Heavens." Shiranui sniffed at the word "river"; he hated all manner of wet things and getting wet. He looked around for a bridge, but saw nothing in the small cavern. In truth, he didn't even see the river. Issun scoffed, too.

"'The River of the Heavens?' They mean the fabled stardust river?" He bounced from one side of Shiranui's back to the other to get a better view. "But I sure don't see anything like that around here. It couldn't be that little puddle over there could it?"

A tiny splash of stardust rippled weakly at their bank. Shiranui looked over it, thinking it a bit pitiful, but he forgot about it as he followed Issun up a nearby hill. At the peak, the sky opened to a glorious star-speckled night. He sat down and gazed all around. The last time he'd seen a night this peaceful, it had turned into his downfall. Issun whistled next to his ear.

"Wow! Look at the stars twinkle! I haven't seen such a beautiful nighttime sky in ages." Shiranui cocked his head, wondering if that was regret or reminiscing in Issun's tone. The bug sighed. Suddenly, brilliant light flashed above them. Beams of starlight reached downward. The stars directly above them moved toward each other. Shiranui started growling and backing up. Whatever was going to happen, he didn't want to be caught up in it— again.

Slowly, the stars pulsed together until the formation was complete. The flashes died down, but the holy light remained. Shiranui stood where he was, ready to dash downhill if necessary. Issun, on the other hand, took it as a sign to further impress the wolf.

"Hmm... There's one missing..." he murmured. He smiled. "Guess I'll just have to draw the missing star!"

Time paused again, but where Issun had aimed to place the star, a leaf appeared in the sky. It drifted down to the feet of Shiranui, who scoffed.

_I've seen it enough times I'll bet that_ I_ could replace that star!_ he thought.

As he gazed up at the constellation, an echo of those words seemed to wander through him. An odd sensation, like being in a dream, as a brush moved toward the missing star. He guided it with his paw, left, upwards, down a smudge. Finally, he dropped his paw, the fine white brush paralleling the motion by marking the sky.

The constellation was complete. Before Issun could start to ask where the star had come from, the stars gave way to a flying beast. Shiranui reacted, scooping up Issun in order to run, but behind them, the hill had turned into golden clouds. He panicked; he had nowhere to run. The beast came closer, slowing as the ground neared it. Shiranui looked up at it, and then dropped Issun from his mouth when he realized what it was. The dragon drew up, hovered, and bowed to them.

"Ah... Why, if it isn't mother Amaterasu. I apologize for not contacting you sooner during these long years," he said. Shiranui sank a bit. _More Amaterasu. Why not? I was only the unwilling vessel._ "Having never forgotten you, I, Yomigami, god of restoration, have eagerly awaited this day when we could meet again.

"While you were away, the 13 spirits of the brush that you once possessed, including myself, have been scattered across this land of men, and now lie in disarray. I became a constellation and managed to survive until now." He shook his head, as if thinking what could have happened if they hadn't found him in time. "The time has come for you to seek out and reunite all the techniques. Your power is what is needed to restore the dried riverbed of the heavens and renew the flow of stardust."

_Stardust?_

With that, the god glowed. It was the end of his solitary rule over the powers of Rejuvenation. He would happily return the power to Amaterasu and make his way to Heaven to watch over her journey. And the great mother, Amaterasu, would set the world right again.

If only it could have been she.

The core of the god's might nearly knocked Shiranui off his feet. The clouds faded, leaving him and Issun back on the hill. Above, the constellation revealed its true nature, while below, Issun shed light on his.

"Wow!" He bounced faster than ever at the tip of Shiranui's nose. "That was Yomigami, the god of Rejuvenation! Wait... So you have the power of Rejuvenation now? Can you really use it to restore the River of the Heavens? That would mean you were as good with a brush as yours truly! Nah... It couldn't be true."

Shiranui looked down his nose and growled. _I'm getting tired of your presumptuous comments, little bug. If you found your way here because the other Poncles threw you out of their village, I sympathize with them!_

He ran back to the river and summoned back the sensation from before. He guided the brush up and down from bank to bank, making sure that every bit of missing stardust was restored. With a flourish, he sealed the move. Before Issun's eyes, the river flowed again.

"Whoa! A river of stardust!" _That _is_ what the sign said._ "So this really must be the River of the Heavens. But what I really wanna know is who the heck drew the darn thing!"

Shiranui ignored it, and stepped close to the river's edge. No bridge came with returning the stardust. He put one paw in. It didn't feel wet like water, and it was silkier. He sighed, but leaped in.

Shiranui had never learned to swim properly in water. In the River of the Heavens, though, he found that his body moved with ease and his legs felt lighter with every stroke. He wished that every river could be as beautiful and navigable as that one as he shook himself free of dust. His flank bumped into a chest; the clasp unhinged. Shiranui glanced inside.

"Look what you found, furball!" Issun dived off of his nose and into the chest. He helped lift out the small purse. "This Astral Pouch here's amazing. It can swallow up lots of food. Then when it's full, it can revive its owner if he or she dies!"

_In that case, it's of no use to me,_ Shiranui thought. He walked off. _I don't intend on dying, whether or not I can come back._

But in no time, Issun was back, carrying the Pouch. The wolf just rolled his eyes and walked under the next gate.

The cave changed again. There was more landscape, more trees, and the sounds of a real river came from up the slope. Shiranui cringed. _Oh, gods, please, there must be _something_ in here!_

He sighed and started up the slope. The ground actually felt wonderful against his paws after so long in slumber. He forgot that he was in a tree for a moment and allowed himself to relish the wind coming across his nostrils, as well as the sounds of the trees and bushes.

_Up and up and up to Heaven,_ Shiranui thought as he passed the river. _Up to meet the other gods— could she be there?_

The road dead-ended shortly, a towering statue rising from the cavern below. Behind him, stakes fell over the entrance, blocking any escape. He walked over to the barricade and swiped at it until Issun dragged him over to look at the statue.

"Is this... Is this the legendary shrine? We must be in the Cave of Nagi!" Issun said. Shiranui's breath stopped at the mention of the great warrior. "The legendary hero Nagi is enshrined here! He vanquished evil 100 years ago with the help of the white wolf, Shiranui!"

_So, a century has passed between then and now._ He sat and whined. _That is nothing compared to time. However, what has changed between then and now?_

"First the River of the Heavens and now this place... Where the heck are we, furball?" Issun looked around the cave, perhaps looking for an answer in scribbles on the wall. "Boy," he continued, "this place is a wreck. See? That sword's in really bad shape. The gods sure didn't do much to protect this place."

Indeed, Nagi's potent blade, Bokunenjin, had crumbled from lack of care. Shiranui sniffed. He hated to see the great Nagi's memory desecrated like this. Though Nagi had always tried to defeat him, Shiranui admired him with the heart of a fellow fighter.

"Doesn't Nagi's broken sword there bug you?" Issun asked quietly. "I mean, there must be something we could do..."

Shiranui was already summoning up the power of Rejuvenation. In no time, Nagi pointed to the heavens once again, drawing down starlight into the cave. Issun balked when he realized, finally, that the wolf he rode just might have the ability to surpass his brushwork.

"Hey! There's another constellation!" They looked up. The starlight reflecting off of the reconstructed sword grew brighter and brighter. "This one looks like a..."

A rat. That is what came from it when he placed the missing star back in the sky. The god's appearance unnerved Shiranui as much as Yomigami's had, especially when the tiny thing pulled out an impressive sword.

_I will never get used to this,_ Shiranui promised himself.

"Well, well, well... If it isn't mother Amaterasu," the cheerful Tachigami said. "It's been a long time. But with all these monsters around, the only place I could hide was in this shrine dedicated to ancient heroes. If there is anything I can do to assist you in your endeavors, I'm at your service."

He gestured to his oversized blade. "Make good use of this sword, as it was designed to conquer evil."

Shiranui braced himself against the returning power this time. It hit him with slightly less force, and he noticed something he hadn't picked up on last time. Just as Tachigami's power returned to him, he felt _her_ strengthen somewhere inside him.

_So, you couldn't go anywhere at all._ Shiranui gulped at the revelation. He then laughed. _Now you know how helpless _I _felt back then. But it's not really you, is it? Just the part you didn't, couldn't allow to die when your time finished._

"Hey, furball... Er... I mean, Amaterasu..." Shiranui bit back a very insulting bark meant for Issun. "I've made up my mind! If you're Shiranui reborn, then that means you can master all 13 techniques, right? In that case, I think I'll tag along until I'm as good as you! Lucky you!" Shiranui cringed and tried to shake Issun off. The Poncle buried himself in Shiranui's fur and held tight. "Heh heh... It's no use tryin' to change my mind. There's no stoppin' me once I've made a decision! But enough about me! Now that you've mastered the Power Slash, you can cut down that thing Sakuya was talking about. Let's go back and give it a shot!"

Reluctantly, He left the sanctity of Nagi's shrine. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the eerie chill in the air just below the statue. Suddenly, green imps appeared in front of him. Issun called for the charge, but Shiranui felt a beat of hope in his chest. The Moon Cave was filled with them, and in his long stay, Shiranui had gotten to know a few. At least, he'd come as close to them as anyone could to a demon. So, he barked happily when he saw the imps, hoping that they would take him back in. He knew only one lifestyle; his fate among the damned was well-deserved, he thought.

The imps paused for a second, regarding him suspiciously. Then they attacked. Shiranui was thrown off-guard, but his swift movements kept him away from their indifferent lashes. He despaired, but only for a moment. With her instincts guiding his body, he used the Divine Instrument on his back to rid the sacred shrine of the demons. Once calm had returned to the cavern, he sniffed and continued on his way to the tree. He could not look back at the fading imps.

Outside, chaos resumed around them. The quiet and peace that Shiranui had become slightly used to now seemed insignificant compared to the might of the darkness overhead. Still, to escape— from the village from this… Issun— he needed to free the village from that sprite's fruit. Sighing, he summoned the power and drew across the fruit.

It hit the ground, releasing the health stored within. Though weakened, Sakuya had a comforting caress. The fresh scent of flowers swirled around Shiranui, almost choking him, but almost making him forget his life a century ago. It felt… protective around the wolf. For once, he felt that there might be a chance to be hopeful, rather than resigned.

_But, Orochi couldn't be defeated on hope. Not then, most certainly not now._


End file.
